Social responsibility
Social responsibility at Geberit
Our approach
The transportation of water in buildings is one of Geberit’s core competencies. The company ensures optimum hygiene standards and economical use of resources, thus making a key contribution to ecological and sustainable development. To do this, we promote quality, innovation and education.
Geberit assumes social responsibility. The social commitment should be linked to the core topics of water and basic sanitation as well as to the employees at the company’s sites worldwide. This approach contributes to the mission of achieving sustained improvement in the quality of people’s lives.
Projects with apprentices and students
Geberit has been carrying out social projects with its own apprentices since 2008. This social commitment has now become a tradition: every year, Geberit apprentices renovate sanitary facilities in educational, social and health institutions in a region affected by poverty under professional supervision. During their assignments in developing and newly industrialised countries, the young apprentices not only gain intercultural, linguistic, professional and social competencies, but also act as ambassadors for the company and its social commitment. The social projects make a tangible contribution to Goal 6 of the 2030 Agenda of the United Nations, which aims to give all humans access to clean drinking water and basic sanitation. In 2023, eleven Geberit apprentices from Germany, Austria and Switzerland travelled to Hudarait in West Bengal (India) as part of the social project. In collaboration with the Swiss NGO Stiftung Usthi, the apprentices installed toilets, washbasins and a shower in the new sanitary wing of the Ananda School. They also installed water supply pipes in the school kitchen. The new sanitary installations and improved access to running drinking water benefit the 246 schoolchildren and their teachers.
As a long-standing member of the Swiss Water Partnership network, Geberit again supported the “Youth Water Challenge” for students and young professionals in 2023. As part of this competition, participants drew up suggestions for projects that improve access to water, drinking water quality or hygiene. Seven of these projects were awarded and put into action. The Swiss Water Partnership network brings together around 70 organisations from the private sector, science, and public and charitable institutions, with the goal of improving access to water in disadvantaged countries and regions.
Globally engaged
With the social engagement strategy adopted in the reporting year, Geberit expressly reinforces its contribution to “ensuring inclusive and equitable quality education for all” (Goal 4 of the 2030 Agenda of the United Nations). Specifically, the decision was made to enter into partnership with the Hilti Foundation for establishing dual vocational training in the sanitary industry in Kenya. Since 2021, Geberit has supported the Hilti Foundation in developing a training programme for young plumbers in Kenya. In addition to donating materials, Geberit also played a key role in developing the curriculum for the Hilti Foundation’s dual vocational training programme. In 2023, 100 apprentices – 45% of them women – took part in school activities at the Don Bosco School in Karen, near Nairobi. Additionally, they received practical training at the 25 local sanitary companies involved. The programme and cooperation between the Hilti Foundation and Geberit will be significantly expanded from 2024 on.
Despite the war in Ukraine, the local Geberit sales company continued its long-standing project for supporting the professional training of plumbers in the country. The Geberit company in Ukraine is carrying out this project in collaboration with the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), the Swiss foundation Swisscontact and the Ukrainian Ministry of Education. By the end of June 2023 (end of the three-year project phase), around 2,700 young people – including 48 women – had taken part in dual studies as plumbers. Around 230 teaching staff were also trained as part of this project. Geberit also provides additional support to 25 vocational schools in Ukraine with material and equipment.
Sanitary equipment and logistics support was also provided to the “L’Unique Foundation”. Established by a Swiss sanitary entrepreneur and based in Basel (CH), this foundation finances the construction and renovation of sanitary facilities at schools in Nepal and implements them on site.
As a basic principle, social projects are regularly supervised and evaluated by Geberit employees in the respective country or in partnership with non-governmental organisations – including after completion of the projects in question.
Donations and financial contributions, including product donations, totalling CHF 3.7 million (previous year CHF 4.4 million) were made during the reporting year.
Integration and inclusion
The Geberit Group’s social commitment is rounded off by a multitude of other initiatives at a local level. At various sites in Europe, such as Germany, Austria, Poland, France and Switzerland, for example, assembly and packaging work is regularly awarded to workshops for people with disabilities. In the reporting year, this work amounted to around CHF 9 million and has contributed to meaningful work for around 550 people.
Donations and contributions
For an overview of donations and financial contributions, see Infrastructure investments and promoted services. All donations are neutral from a party political point of view. No donations were made to parties or politicians. This is ensured globally as part of the annual audit of the Code of Conduct.